Boycott the Redskins games?

[Spence]

Sports author/columnist/etc. John Feinstein has had it with the incompetence of the Redskins front office and is calling for the ultimate sanction against the ownership: a boycott.

"Let's get to the point here," Feinstein said. "The Washington Redskins have become the Saturday Night Live routine of the NFL, all right? The owner thinks he knows football and doesn't know football. He's got a henchman sideguy to his right, who's a radio talkshow host half of the week and is calling Bingo callers to fix the offense the rest of the week. It is a joke.

"And let me say this for the record, I know what Redskins fans are saying right now. They're angry, they're upset. Ok DO something about it. DON'T go to the game Sunday. I'm serious about this. If you really want to send a message to the owner, stop calling radio talk shows, stop sending e-mails to this show, and DON'T GO on Sunday. Don't give the guy your money for parking, for concessions.

"Tell him how upset you are by staying home and watching the game on television. They ought to just stay home....DON'T GO. STAY HOME AND WATCH THE GOOD GAMES. DON'T GO!"

It's an interesting idea. Dan Snyder cannot be forced to sell the team and since he's a young man with no interest in selling, Redskins fans could be dealing with Snyderatto and their front office shenanigans ["Let's trade two first round picks for Brady Quinn!"] for many years to come. Decades. Think about that for a moment. More of this...for decades to come. Can you take that? You know what has been endured over the last 50 years by fans of teams like the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals. How would you feel about becoming one of them?

Read it.

 

[Chris]

The seats are already sold for this season so this years games wouldn't be blacked out.

 

[Sarge]

Maybe a few blackouts will send the mesage

 

[servumtuum]

This may sound weird, but something in the Feinstein quote bothered me-the "Bingo caller reference", I've seen this a lot about Sherm Lewis and I, personally don't care for it-the guy's got a spectacular history and resume in the NFL and this kind of thing is insulting, to me at least. It's almost like discussing politics, where this kind of thing is the norm.

Sorry, I just had to speak my piece. I'll try to refrain as much as possible.

 

[Sarge]

I don't think it's a personal dig at Lewis. I think it's just a convenient anaolgy of where we are as a team and who we have to call upon for help, which was a person that was on his way to call a bingo game

 

[Spence]

I don't think it's a real dig at Lewis, I think it has more to do with the fact that he hasn't worked in the NFL recently. Lewis did have a very respectable career in the NFL, but he's been out of work [voluntarily] for a while. It sort of smacks of Pepper Rodgers. Remember when he was about to be the head coach of the Washington Redskins? Just more amateur hour from The Li'l General. I saw Feinstein's remark as reflecting more on Snyderatto than Lewis himself.

 

[servumtuum]

You guys are, no doubt, correct-I guess it just hit me from an uncomfortable angle and I temporarily ignored the context doh1.

This may be partially fueled by a sense of foreboding about that possibility that Feinstien is likely right and the question of just how far the situation must deteriorate before things have been stretched to the point of rupture is still open.

 

[Bulldog]

Nothing else has worked with Snyder. Not scorn from the national media or off the record comments from other NFL colleagues. Nor criticism from hometown media or fans on an individual basis. Not even the poor record of the team.

I think the only combination of factors that would lead Snyder to 'feel' the shame IS to see an empty stadium where he knows that people just don't care what is happening on a Sunday afternoon here, and that is going to flow down to the number of jerseys sold, hot dogs sold, pizzas sold, etc.

A 3-13 team on the field (not merely a mediocre 6-10) and empty yellow seats might be enough to start the ball rolling.

But given his stubborn nature, I bet it would take 2-3 YEARS of that kind of boycott to have a real effect.

 

[servumtuum]

Things could be worse. Al Davis could be the owner/operator/head-honcho/I-call-the-shots guy. He's owned the Raiders since the Dawn of Civilization and they are now on a streak that from the 2003 season until today has netted them a total of 27 wins.

 

[Sarge]

Things could be worse. Al Davis could be the owner/operator/head-honcho/I-call-the-shots guy. He's owned the Raiders since the Dawn of Civilization and they are now on a streak that from the 2003 season until today has netted them a total of 27 wins.

Maybe Al ran into danny's mom on a cruise somewhere

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

My seats are already paid for, so not showing up just means the Skins have empty seats and either way I'm out for the tickets and parking.

I'm going to the Chiefs game with my "Fire Vinny" shirt and I'll probably go to the Cowboys and Broncos games, outside of that I'll probably pass on much of the remainder and either sell my tickets or eat them.......

No way in hell am I going to the Giants or Eagles games, as a fan I 'm supposed to hate Dallas (which I do) but I absoultely hate Giant and Eagles fans at FedEx.... many of them are real a-holes looking to start a fight.

 

[Yusuf06]

A 3-13 team on the field (not merely a mediocre 6-10) and empty yellow seats might be enough to start the ball rolling.

But given his stubborn nature, I bet it would take 2-3 YEARS of that kind of boycott to have a real effect.

Just one small correction BD? I'm thinking it would take 2-3 years of empty burgundy seats. Empty premium seats could be explained away as a function more of the recession than fan dissatisfaction. However, empty burgundy seats send an unequivocal message.

Things could be worse. Al Davis could be the owner/operator/head-honcho/I-call-the-shots guy. He's owned the Raiders since the Dawn of Civilization and they are now on a streak that from the 2003 season until today has netted them a total of 27 wins.

I actually give Davis a bit of a pass. For one thing, he actually has a valid reason within his own addled mind to think he knows what he's doing. That is, he actually does have a long prior history of success, winning super bowls and doing it right.

His only problem is that he's old, in mental decline and doesn't realize or want to admit that he's in mental decline. Therefore, I really can't fault the guy all that much. Does that make Raiderfan's hell any less hot? No, but at least they know it's not going to be forever, which is more than we can say. :kick_can:

 

[servumtuum]

I actually give Davis a bit of a pass. For one thing, he actually has a valid reason within his own addled mind to think he knows what he's doing. That is, he actually does have a long prior history of success, winning super bowls and doing it right.

His only problem is that he's old, in mental decline and doesn't realize or want to admit that he's in mental decline. Therefore, I really can't fault the guy all that much. Does that make Raiderfan's hell any less hot? No, but at least they know it's not going to be forever, which is more than we can say. :kick_can:

All quite true, Yusuf, I was just trying for a comparison that would make the Skins fans feel a bit better, after all I did specify 2003 to today.

My other choices for teams without GM's didn't work-the Pats, Dallas(I don't pick on the seriously disturbed), and the Bengals who are doing altogether too good so far this season.

 

[riggins44]

The only winner in a boycott would be the media. They would have a field day. Like someone else said earlier, the real loser would be fans that can't watch due to a blackout.

 

[Billfishead]

My tickets are paid for, so not showing up isn't going to hurt the Danny. I won't buy anything once in the stadium and I won't purchase anything "Redskin" where any money goes to the Danny. But, I will wear my "SNYDER SUCKS" shirt to the game and I will support any action to bring the proper change needed to return this franchise to prominence.

 

[riggins44]

and honestly it would only be the local fans. I would still see every game live out here in San Diego so the only people who pay the price are you guys from the local area.

Mike, I would be one of those. My buddy has season tickets and we (did) go to many games. Now you hate to spend 12 hours of your day on the product
Snyder and Co. have given us.

Like Billfishead, I won't buy anything Redskin. This is the only thing Snyder understands. You hit him in his wallet and he will take notice.

 

[Elephant]

Like I mentioned in another thread, I will not spend any money on the Washington Redskins until I see something change. I will support the players in any way I can, but I refuse to drop a penny into the organization until Snyder brings back a little credibility to this team.

Oh how I miss JKC!!! And to think, I was one of those who were happy to see Snyder get the team because it was apparent he wanted to win. Boy was I fooled!

 

[Jimbo]

Perhaps the "Snyder Sucks" t-shirts can be effective as well. If you can gather a large enough group to show them off at the same time (obviously you won't get into the game with them showing) and get the TV cameras on them, it could have a HUGE effect. The TV and Print media would eat it up.

A nearly empty stadium with mostly fans from the other team would definitely be effective when it makes the news but like many of you have already stated, Lord Farquaad is one stubborn little bastage and it might take more than one or two games for him to really care. He already has your ticket money for this season. One or two games of lost concessions and parking may not seem that big a deal to him. We'd need to count on the media and the rest of the league to shame him into submission. The Danny will NOT go quietly into the night, however. Like the child he is, he'll likely go kicking and screaming and that won't be a pretty sight.

 

[Henry]

they will just black out the games and then it will be more of a punishment to the fans then anything.

The way we are playing, not really.

Sorry Mike. Had to.

 

[Henry]

Like I mentioned in another thread, I will not spend any money on the Washington Redskins until I see something change. I will support the players in any way I can, but I refuse to drop a penny into the organization until Snyder brings back a little credibility to this team.

The biggest and most damaging weapon fans have to bring to bear on a team is indifference. I mean, real indifference.

Like I mentioned in another thread, I've actually stopped watching the games. On TV I mean. I'm not planning on watching this weekend either. Forget clever shirts or protests or petitions ... find something better to do on Sunday.

If this town turns into Atlanta or Miami, Snyder might notice. Otherwise, I doubt he'll care.